This Nominal Roll identifies the Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the 21st Infantry Battalion. Details are provided in the notes that follow. For further information, please see the details posted at the "Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group - Matrix Project" (http://cefresearch.com/matrix/).
Notes
The Nominal Rolls of the Canadian Expeditionary Force are described by Library and Archives Canada as the "lists of soldiers on strength with the unit on a particular date. They were generally created in the course of a unit's formation in Canada, often in preparation for departure overseas. Five copies of nominal rolls (army form MFW 20) were to be prepared by the regimental adjutant. Two were submitted to the headquarters of the Military District in which the unit was raised (one of which was to be forwarded to the Department of Militia and Defence in Ottawa). Three were to accompany the unit overseas.
The first page was to contain a list of officers, arranged in order of rank. Other ranks followed on succeeding pages, arranged in alphabetical order, showing full name, rank, and regimental number."
The 21st Battalion CEF was organized in Kingston Ontario during World War 1 (WW1), under Lt Col W.S. Hughes, of men and officers of Eastern Ontario. It was also known as the Eastern Ontario Regiment. 5326 men and officers passed through its ranks during the war. Only 106 of the original soldiers entered Germany at the end of the war. Some 3328 were killed, wounded or went missing in action. 11 battle honours grace its colours. Over 300 medals and citations were earned. It disbanded after the job was done, but is perpetuated by The Princess of Wales Own Regiment in Kingston Ontario. A museum and a significant archives are located in The Armouries in Kingston Ont.
21st Infantry Battalion Web Site: http://www.21stbattalion.ca/
CEF Study Group Web Site: http://www.cefresearch.com/phpBB2/
